7 minute read
OGA PRESIDENT’S REFLECTIONS
At the time of writing (July 2020), we’re just a few weeks into this initiative but we are thinking long term. The situation has highlighted a need for change in the retail industry, and it is exciting to be part of this change.
You are a fairly young team at Mallzee – do you think this creates a more innovative and adaptable environment?
I think it’s partly due to our age, but mostly the type of people we are. We are a very driven group, and to work in a start-up you need to intrinsically believe in the company goals. If something isn’t working, we’re quick to make changes and improvements, with both our users and our mission - to make retail better - in mind. We’re encouraged to try things, with the awareness that some ideas will fail. As long as we learn from the failures, we continue to try new things. I also have some incredibly talented colleagues, so we continuously learn from each other.
Are there any other businesses or sectors that you admire as to how they have responded to the pandemic and in an approach to help others?
The pandemic has definitely highlighted the businesses and sectors that are ready and able to be innovative. I’ve particularly noticed how the food industry has had a positive impact on peoples’ lockdown experiences. For example, restaurants like Six by Nico in Edinburgh transforming their staple six-course tasting menu experience to at-home dining created an event that feels as special as going to the restaurant. Even smaller local cafés revealing their well-honed recipes so that customers can make them at home and continue to feel involved in the business has made people even more fond of their businesses and ensures customers will be lining up when they re-open. These small events have given such a welcome break to the stress of the unknown.
In retail, as in all other sectors, there are big changes ahead – what do you think this will mean for Mallzee and the way you work?
It’s a very difficult time in the retail industry. Our company has always championed using data to make better retail decisions, which I think will become even more crucial going forward so the need for companies like ours will continue to rise. We’ve always been quick to adapt, so changes like working from home or flexible working are not as big a change for us as it can be for other companies. I think we’ll just continue to roll with the punches and see what the future throws at us!
Thinking about young people leaving school or graduating now, do you think there are enough companies offering opportunities for graduate placements, or do you think there is going to be a shift in the type of work graduates need to think about for a while?
My own experience has taught me that graduates cannot wait for opportunities to be presented to them, they have to be proactive. When graduating from St Andrews, the thought of not applying to corporate graduate schemes was alarming to some, but I knew it wasn’t for me. Instead, I did my research, found companies who I wanted to work for based on their goals and team ethic, and got in touch even if they didn’t advertise any open positions or have a formal graduate scheme.
If a company is able, and they can see how your skills and enthusiasm will be an asset to them, they will find a way to get you involved. That might be a week’s work experience or an internship, but these can lead to bigger opportunities in future. The more experience a graduate has, the better, so I’d encourage any graduate to try new things and expand their knowledge of what they are interested in outside of their studies.
How has the Mallzee team adapted to lockdown life? How have you adapted?
As a team, we’ve adapted really well. We’re a very close team so the most difficult part has just been missing out on the fun side of our work: Monday team meetings and getting together on a Friday after work to showcase the fun things we’ve been working on. Although we’ve always been flexible with options to work from home when needed, I’ve always been one to be in the office so it’s quite new for me. I’ve enjoyed the slower daily pace, gaining some hours back in the morning to exercise or read instead of rushing to get ready, but I’m looking forward to being able to reunite in the office in the future because some tasks are just better done face-to-face.
In your free time what are you happiest doing?
In my free time, I love cooking and baking, going for a coffee and a walk with a friend, reading, just relaxing! I am lucky that my family lives very close by and I love just hanging out at my house with them and my dog.
Where is your favourite place on the planet? (when you are allowed to go there again!)
My favourite place on the planet is Madrid, where I spent my third year abroad. It has the excitement of a capital city, whilst maintaining the chilled out, relaxed vibe for which Spain is known. It’s not daunting in the way that London or Barcelona can feel; I automatically felt at home. I absolutely love the sun, the food is incredible and the people are lovely. I can’t recommend it more!
THE DAYS OF
LOCKDOWN LIFE
In our previous editions, we have asked one member of our St George’s community to provide a glimpse of their working day, sharing openly an insight into their career choices and living locations for their fellow alumnae. In this unprecedented time, we realise that working days are changed (at least in the short term) for the majority of people and very few look the same as they did even six months previously.
We therefore decided to open our feature to more of the community and invited them to share their experiences, thoughts and observations about how working life has evolved for them, wherever they are in the world. We asked them to share insights into how daily life has changed, what they have missed, what they have welcomed and what they have learned or adapted to. With reflections from around the globe, and from differing generations, we have been so interested to hear how our community has responded and found glimmers of hope and positivity from this situation.
Eileen Wallis (née Wight, Class of 1962)
Having lived in Brazil for 45 years, the devastating news about Brazil recently made me realise the need to explain another side to life here during the pandemic. It’s important to understand that we are extremely fortunate to live outside Sao Paulo in a park, a life very different from most of the population. sophisticated and wealthy nations just haven’t got it right. But it’s interesting how some nations run by women have been successful. So I reflect: are women better managers of society?
Living in lockdown in Brazil, the BBC became essential in separating false from reliable information about the virus and international news. There was a surge in sharing information by friends, neighbours and acquaintances through Zoom, Skype and WhatsApp.
Friends and neighbours started to interact on the internet.
What was great was, because of home working, the daily two-hour commute was eradicated, road deaths dropped, and everything was quieter. There was less pollution and more birds. inability to travel and meet up with our grandchildren in the UK. Our diet has become limited due to food delivery online and not being able to supermarket shop. Of course, not eating out or going to cafés with friends is also irritating and browsing in bookshops is sadly missed. Watching films has filled many hours. In our life here, the car has become less essential, the internet more essential, home food deliveries will continue, clothes will be chosen for their comfort and we’ll put more emphasis on exercise, diet and keeping in touch through Zoom, Skype and so on.
In resumo, we are lucky here, and merely have to wait patiently for a vaccine to partly restore our previous way of life, but we won’t go back to living the way we were before COVID-19.
